Yerba mate is a tree that grows in the Paraná, Uruguay and Paraguay river basins; the region where Argentina’s, Brazil’s, and Paraguay’s three borders meet. The indigenous people of that area, the Guarani, used this plant for its nutrition and healing effects.

Yerba mate’s use today is different from the old Guarani method of consuming it. They would marinate the leaves for days and then drink the liquid as medicine to cure a variety of diseases (rheumatic, intestinal, etc.) and as a comforting elixir that would provide them with strength and energy.

Mate is drank in a variety of ways, according to the traditions and tastes of different areas of the country, by adding to the drink either brown sugar, orange peels or herbs that vary from region to region. For example: chamomile, coffee, mint, etc.

Mate is a deep-rooted tradition in Argentina that begins in adolescence and continues on through adulthood. TheInformative Blog[4][es] explains:

It’s all about an infusion that finds part of its charm in the small ritual which surrounds it. For those who do not know, the word mate originated from the Quechua term mathi, which means a cup or container from which to drink and made out of a gourd. And that is the mate. Yerba mate and a bombilla, which is a type of straw with a filter on the lower end, are placed into it. The act of refilling it with hot water (never boiling) is called steeping.

The nation’s minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fish, Norberto Yauhar, set the price for green yerba at $1.70 and $6.90 for the canchada. The prices will go into effect starting April 1. “We have made a decision that covers all the bases. We’re defending not only producers, but consumers as well.”

The prices before the increase were fixed at $0.90 per kilo of green yerba and $3.30 for the canchada placed out to dry. Thus the increase is around 88%.

But if one takes into account the production cycle of yerba mate, the final product increases would begin starting June of 2012. However, storekeepers applied the increase on April 1 for the final product already on the shelves.

On April 3 the hashtag#yerba[7][es] began to trend locally. Many used it to express their outrage, anger and even solutions to the increase, such as Analía Roca ‏(@AnaliaRoca[8]) [es]:

However, the controversy surrounding yerba mate arose before the price increase, when yerba mate producers from theMisiones province[14][es] requested from the Secretary of Domestic Trade Guillermo Moreno a renegotiation of the yerba price. According to the webpageAIM Digital[15][es], the following was the Secretary’s response:

“I am tired of these dumb*** Poles from the provinces that come to Buenos Aires to file complaints. I decide what the price (of yerba) is and screw anyone that doesn’t like it”

The Polish community in Argentina did not take long to react. Gustavo Sterczek, a historian of polish descent and member of the Polish Association of Argentina, sent a letter, which several of the country’s media groups have published, that was in reaction to the Domestic Trade Secretary’s words.The webpage of the stationMisiones Cuatro[16][es] published it:

Your statements not only offend them in particular, but also all of us who are proud of our heritage. My grandfather was one of those immigrants that came to this great country. He, like many others, was a humble man, but he was educated and had values. He volunteered in World War II to fight for his beloved homeland that was invaded by the Nazis. I do not know if you listen to music, but I recommend you listen to a Mr. Chopin. He is considered one of the greatest composers in history. He was polish, but not a dumb***.

The Polish ambassador to Argentina, Jacek Bazanski, also sent a letter to the Secretary of Domestic Trade, expressing the community’s pain. The newspaperLa Razon[17][es] writes:

“The polish ambassador delivered a letter to the inbox of the Secretary post occupied by Moreno. In the letter the ambassador describes how he was “deeply hurt by the words expressed toward the polish people during a meeting with industrial yerba producers, and even more surprised that they were pronounced by a government official.”